Twitch launches Bits-powered extensions to push streamer income

Twitch is extending the usefulness of its internal Bits currency as of today. The currency will now be usable with extensions, allowing viewers a huge variety of ways to support their favourite streamers while watching.

There will be 30 Bits-powered extensions as part of the initial beta, which will then roll out across the service to all eligible creators and extension developers. Twitch has stated that 80 per cent of revenues from such extensions would go to creators, with 20 per cent going to developers. After its own cut of Bits purchases, which is 30 per cent, is taken out.

The initial batch of Bits-powered extensions show the potential variety that crators can use to help engage audiences.

There are quiz extensions, so that viewers can test their knowledge of popular games against each other in a bid for recognition – and possibly prizes – from the streamer. Polls will let viewers predict what will happen in games such as League of Legends; or choose what a streamer should do next in a game. Then there's arcade games that can be played for a Bits donation, with leaderboards.

Most enticing possibly in the ability to pay Bits to get in a priority queue to play in the same game as their favourite streamer. The price of playing with top creators could be set pretty high we'd reckon.

Every Partner and Affiliate creator with a Bits-enabled channel is now eligible to install these new Extensions.

“Our mission at Twitch is to help our community make a living on our service doing what they love, and that includes both content creators and developers,” said Jeffrey Chow, Product Manager of Extensions at Twitch. “We built Extensions to best serve what Twitch is best known for: community interactions. By enabling revenue generation from Extensions, developers can make more of them, which ultimately opens up more interactive possibilities and monetisation methods for content creators.”